You've basically just described SoylentNews, a Slashdot clone that appeared when the Slashdot Beta shit really started heating up.

And you know what? I think it's clear that it's an absolute hell-hole that's worse than Slashdot today, even!

That community is small. It's small because many of the regular users there are best described as obnoxious extremists. They naturally drive away most normal users with their toxicity.

Then it's not really a slashdot clone (assuming what you say is true). I mean, the site may be a clone, but for most of us the community is what makes it what it is. Without the community, the thing as a whole is not a clone.

And which is a better use of funds, providing medical care to people that need it, or developing a fighter jet that is years behind schedule, billions over budget, and that we didn't need in the first place?

Don't you think a reprimand - "you can't do that here sir" - would have been more appropriate?

It sounds like that's exactly what the PCSO did. The problem is that rather than stopping, or even stopping while protesting it, instead he was a total asshole about it and continued to do it even though he was informed it was illegal. For any value of "it," the guy was a dumbass. If you're informed something is against the law and you refuse to stop doing it right in front of an officer, what do you expect to happen?

But, in many situations the concept of a domestic partner was so that same-sex couples who couldn't legally get married could still enjoy the benefits (in particular, medical insurance) of a married couple. Yes, it applied to straight couples too, because applying it only to same-sex couples would have been discrimination. Since it was created because same-sex couples couldn't be married, the concern is that it will be taken away because now they can get married. However, same-sex marriage has been legal in some states for a while now, and I haven't heard of this benefit being taken away in those places.

You're absolutely right. I live on Maui, and see who it is that is protesting the loudest. There are a few people who genuinely believe it is a desecration, but that is a small minority of the protesters. Not that I mean to disrespect that minority, their viewpoint is legitimate in that it is what they truly believe, but I do mean to bash the rest, as those are illogical, irrational reality-deniers (anti-science == reality-denialism). It is the same people who think anything sciency or not "natural" is the epitome of evil. It is the same people sign waiving to ban GMOs. The same people who share miracle cures of juices, essential oils, and homeopathic remedies on Facebook.

There has been a big stink over GMOs here lately, and TMT protest is merely an extension of that. If not for the GMO nonsense, these people would not be protesting TMT, it wouldn't even be a blip on their radar. Fundamentally, they both represent greed, development, advancement, and are anti-natural and anti-Organic (yes I realize the ridiculousness of those terms, please don't try to debate me, I'm telling where these people are coming from) to them. These are the people who, when presented with numerous citations on why GMOs are safe, either insist that it was all done by paid shills, or that even if GMOs are safe then they should be banned because MONSANTO is a huge corporation so it's evil. And they'll spout their anti-GMO rhetoric from an Apple (14x the size of Monsanto) computer or one running Microsoft Windows (7x the size of Monsanto), then jump in their Toyota (4x the size of Monsanto) to go to Starbucks (1.5x the size of Monsanto) so they can Facebook (4x the size of Monsanto) from their Google (7x the size of Monsanto) Android phone over the Verizon (3.5x the size of Monsanto) network. But stay away from GMOs because Monsanto is a HUGE corporation! GMOs and TMT are the same thing to these people.

Again, I'll point out I'm not referring to everybody, I'm referring to the greenies that constitute a vast majority of the protesters.

I think it has something to do with advertising and fraud, not the contents.

Apart from fraud and charging people large amounts of money for something they are not getting, it is dangerous. Not because the product is actually dangerous, but because in many cases it's taken in lieu of actual medicine. For most situations - colds, minor aches an pains, etc - it's not a big deal, but for real health problems it is.

If too much carry on luggage is a problem, then stop charging for checking a bag. When everyone got a checked back for free, there was plenty of overhead storage space, not to mention loading and unloading passengers was a lot faster because people weren't blocking the isles dealing with their carry ons. Now everyone tries to carry on as much as they can so they don't have to pay.

OTOH, a contractor could show up at your house with hand tools he'd borrowed from his Amish buddy, a brand-new consumer-grade drill, or a 25-year-old commercial grade Dewalt.

But it's common to dictate what materials they use. Want a modified bitumen roof? If it's torch-down, then that's going to require the contractor to have certain tools. You could also mandate it's peel-and-stick (say, if the building is occupied and you don't want the fire hazard), which is dictating materials/tools.

Same with eBay or Amazon. All they require is internet access with a newish web browser.

Which means a limited number of possible browsers, which all require newer equipment, not a 25 year old computer.

...rambling about hours and nakedness

A construction contractor is often mandated to work within certain hours, can't work naked, can't smoke on the job, etc.

OTOH, driving at any level for Uber requires a relatively recent (post-2000) car, bans a specific model (the Crown Victoria), and higher levels specify shit like the color of the car and what the seats are made of.

Selling on Amazon or Ebay requires a post-2000 browser. It doesn't work on specific browser versions. They have standards and limitations on the products they allow you to sell.

So pretty much all the limitations you're saying makes Uber drivers employees also applies to Amazon/Ebay sellers and/or construction contractors.

You can't (or at least you shouldn't) fry anything in Olive oil. It will smoke and degrade into potentially unhealthy chemicals.

That's a myth (really a fraud) perpetuated by coconut oil hucksters. It's not enough for them to try to convince people they are selling a miracle cure for everything, they also try to convince you that everything else will kill you.

That is fucking ridiculous (not saying it's illegal, just ridiculous). The DJ paid fees to be able to play the music, and they expect the restaurant to also pay fees? Imagine if that extended to any other product. Oven manufacturer makes oven. Dealer purchases oven from manufacturer. Restaurant owner purchases oven from dealer. Should the manufacturer then be able to go after the restaurant owner for more money, even though the dealer already paid them?

So it's okay to violate the law by listening on telephone calls as long as you don't do it too much, because back in the day it wouldn't have been possible to do it too much? So then it's okay if I rob a bank and only steal a thousand dollars, because back in the day (because of inflation) that's all the teller's drawers would have had?